The Detroit Lions lost arguably their best defensive player to an ejection against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

Brian Branch was ejected for an unnecessary roughness penalty on Packers wide receiver Bo Melton in the second quarter with the Lions leading 7-3. Jordan Love bought time and tried to place a shot across the sideline to Melton on the second-and-20, but the pass went out of bounds. Branch took off and eliminated Melton with a helmet-to-helmet punch that drew a flag.

The referees initially thought it was just an unnecessary act of rudeness, but then consulted and, after talking among themselves, declared Branch out. Fox rules analyst Dean Blandino said the referees received live assistance from the NFL’s replay officials in New York to make the call a ejection.

“It happened so late, it had to come from New York,” Blandino said. “They looked at it and concluded that the hit amounted to a disqualification.”

Branch was a certified star and the key cog of the Lions defense in his second season, his first season at safety. In the first six games, Branch recorded four interceptions, 38 tackles and a forced fumble in a breakout season, building on his rookie season in which he finished fifth in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.

Fox color commentator and Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady completely disagreed with the exclusion, saying it was a step too far for the play.

“I don’t like this call at all,” Brady said. “I mean, it’s obviously a penalty. But for me that has to be a serious intention in a game like this.”

Last year, Broncos safety Kareem Jackson was ejected in September for a hit that suggested unnecessary roughness. Later in October, Jackson was ejected from a game and suspended for four games in the NFL.

The Lions and Packers are battling for first place in the NFC at the halfway point of the season. The Lions (6-1) were slight favorites over the Packers (6-2), who also had a winning streak last month.

The Lions are already shorthanded on defense. Linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez is out with an ankle injury, defensive end Josh Paschal is out for the second straight season due to illness, and edge rushers Aidan Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport and linebacker Derrick Barnes are out for the season.

The Lions only have two days left to potentially expand the roster through a trade. The NFL trade deadline is Tuesday at 4 p.m. and the Lions are looking for talent in the front seven to offset some of those losses.

The loss of Branch means Brandon Joseph will have plenty to offer in the secondary alongside Kerby Joseph, Terrion Arnold and Carlton Davis.

This article originally appeared on the Detroit Free Press: Brian Branch ejected from Lions Packers for a hard header hit